Rebekah Nordstrom & One Hundred: The (Un) Essential Series
Rebekah Nordstrom, morning of the opening of One Hundred: The (Un) Essential Series
August 4th, 2021
August brings the wonders of Rebekah Nordstrom and her exceptional show, One Hundred: The (Un) Essential Series, currently on display until September 25th, 2021. Rebekah Nordstrom has been a partnering artist, house artist and exhibiting artist throughout the years of The HeArt Box. This collection is quite an accomplishment and a wonder to see in person, One Hundred Paintings in One Hundred Days of One Hundred Donations while Wearing One Dress.
One hundred: the (Un) Essential series by Rebekah Nordstrom has been such a delight to follow. Her process and dedication to her work is inspiring. Each object a treasure in their own right, an item of sentiment, or lack of, captured in still life form before its rebirth. To see every day objects with exquisite texture, color and a touch of grace all through a painter’s eye is a unique opportunity. This series asks of us what do we value in our daily lives, what do we fill it with and why. To re-examine the things we hold onto, is it essential for our well being? Rebekah takes us on her personal journey. A treasure hunt into her world; each stroke, each dab of paint a mark of contemplation and an examination of objects and memories.
For 100 days, from January 1, 2021 through April 10, 2021, Rebekah completed a still life painting a day of a random object in her home that would be given to charity upon completion of the painting. Her intention was to declutter and make space to breathe during what had been a somewhat oppressive year. Simultaneously, she was a participant in the “100 Day Dress Challenge” offered by the Oregon company Wool&, where women from around the world challenge themselves to wear the same merino wool dress for 100 days in a row.
I had the opportunity to ask Rebekah more about her exhibition, art collecting and inspiration. Here are her thoughts.
What inspired this series of 100 paintings in 100 days?
RN - I have been thinking about painting things that I am ready to let go of, as a sort of a meditation on objects, for quite some time now. The beginning of the new year seemed an as good as any time to start. 2020 had been a difficult year for me, and I needed to make a grand gesture to help lift me out of my malaise. I find daily painting a pleasurable challenge that offers a lot of personal growth and commitment. I had heard of the 100 Day Dress Challenge offered by Wool&, and thought that combining a 100 day painting challenge with wearing the same dress for 100 days would be just the type of venture that I needed.
Did you find any joys in this series, challenges?
RN - There were a great deal of joys during this series. The joys of a consistent studio practice after a long and dark year being a big one of them. Like seeing the light. I also loved the 3 hours (on average) of thoughtful attention that I gave to each and every object that I painted, no matter how mundane. Feeling gratitude for the stories that I shared with these objects just before letting them go. Where now these object's stories continue in somebody else’s life brings me joy too. I found joy in meeting women from all over the world that had committed to wearing the same dress for 100 consecutive days. Wise women with amazing stories of strength and world consciences. So much joy.
The challenges of the series came mostly from within my own headspace. My inner struggle with confidence and worthiness. The audacity of making art out of refuse, thinking that people would find in interesting. The aggrandization of affluenza. Recognizing that my overwhelming need to simplify and walk down a path towards minimalism is a privilege in a world where so many have so little.
Why do you collect what you collect? Has diving into this series shed more light on the objects you have collected over the years?
3. Interesting question! Because I mostly shop second hand, I find it interesting as to why certain things end up as a donation. Something deemed unessential and unceremoniously discarded. In history, things like books and shoes were cherished items only for the elite. Now our manufacturing channels are clogged with books and shoes that are intended to be thrown away after only a short period of use. I think that’s why I find second hand shopping more interesting than buying new. The obsolete seems more compelling than the “next big thing”. I also collect out of a sense of preservation. “Rescuing” an old hat from the oblivion of a thrift shop shelf and putting it in a new context where it will again be appreciated was a powerful motivation for me in my past. Now, of course, I’m a minimalist, so I don’t do that anymore…much.
Did you learn anything new about painting? Did you learn anything new about yourself personally in these challenges to yourself?
RN - Daily painting will always yield surprising results. You can’t help but grow (at anything) with daily practice. Teaching yourself to paint is a strange and slippery beast. You can tell yourself over and over again to apply the “technique tips” that you have read about or have been told, but for some reason that intention regularly doesn’t manifest itself in your painting. I find that daily painting is the most effective way to fill your studio practice with “aha! moments” as the melding of creative vision and technique meet in a beautiful flash of genius. Magic is hard work. You have to practice it every day…
Personally, I learned that I like “aha! moments” and flashes of genius.
What inspires you?
RN - I think I am most inspired by nature. When I say nature, I mean all other living beings. Today I am watching the 2 Albert Squirrels, that hang out outside my studio, to distraction. It’s that distraction that inspires me. What looks to me like play, is in actually these two squirrel’s innate drive to survive. I don’t understand their world, nor do I understand most of the world around me, but by quiet observation, what ever it is they’re doing, and why they are doing it, inspires me. That can go for the pattern of the wind plays on water too. I hope that makes sense.
Events with Rebekah Nordstrom
Exhibiting | August 6 - September 25
Virtual Opening | Friday, August 6th, 5:30pm PST, Facebook Live
Opening Reception | Friday, August 6th, 6:00-8:00pm PST
Artist talk on Instagram Live @the_heartbox, Thursday, August 26th, 3pm PST
Meet the Artist at The HeArt Box, Thursday, August 26th 4-6pm PST
Plein Air Workshop, Buffalo Park (pre-registration required), August 28th, 8am - 12pm PST
Live Painting at The HeArt Box, September 11th, 1pm PST